Penne alla Vodka
Penne alla vodka with a silky tomato-vodka cream sauce built on tomato paste, a splash of vodka, and parmesan. A cozy 30-minute meatless pasta dinner.
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Penne alla Vodka is the pasta I make when I want something that feels a little special without much fuss. The sauce is a blush-pink blend of caramelized tomato paste, a splash of vodka, and heavy cream, and it clings to every ridge of the penne. It’s rich and cozy, faintly sweet from the tomato, and it comes together faster than you’d guess for something that tastes this good.
The vodka isn’t there for a kick, and you won’t taste alcohol in the finished dish. As it simmers, the alcohol cooks off, and on its way out it carries and releases flavor compounds in the tomato that water alone can’t reach. That’s the honest reason a splash of vodka goes in: it makes the tomato taste more like itself, brighter and rounder, and it adds a little acidity that keeps all that cream from feeling flat.
The real workhorse here is tomato paste. Cooking it in the pan until it darkens to a deep brick red, before any liquid goes in, builds a concentrated, almost roasted tomato flavor that a can of sauce never gets to. Between that and a jar of pantry staples, this is a meatless dinner that lands on the table in about 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A sauce that tastes fancy. Caramelized tomato paste and cream make a blush sauce that tastes like a restaurant plate for pantry-ingredient money.
- Genuinely quick. It comes together in about 30 minutes, most of which is the pasta water coming to a boil.
- Meatless and filling. Rich and creamy enough that nobody at the table asks where the meat is.
- A kid-friendly crowd-pleaser. Mild, creamy, and just a little sweet, so it wins over picky eaters too.
Penne Alla Vodka Ingredients
Don’t skip caramelizing the tomato paste. Cooking it in the hot oil until it turns a shade darker and smells sweet and roasted is where most of this sauce’s depth comes from, and it takes only a couple of minutes.
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1/3 cup vodka
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1 tsp salt
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Recipe Variations
- Leave out the vodka and deglaze with a splash of pasta water instead; the sauce will be a touch less complex but still creamy and good.
- Skip the red pepper flakes for a milder, kid-friendly version, or double them if you like the classic gentle heat.
- Stir in a couple handfuls of baby spinach with the cream, or add cooked Italian sausage for a heartier, non-meatless take.
How to Make Penne Alla Vodka
- Cook the pasta: Boil the penne in well-salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Soften the onion: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Caramelize the tomato paste: Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, until it darkens to a deep brick red and smells sweet and roasted.
- Add the vodka: Pour in the vodka and stir, scraping up anything stuck to the pan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to cook off the alcohol; the sharp smell will mellow as it goes.
- Stir in the cream: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and salt until the sauce turns an even blush pink. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
- Melt in the parmesan: Stir in the parmesan until smooth. If the sauce looks tight, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water.
- Toss and serve: Add the drained penne and toss until every piece is coated, adding more pasta water a splash at a time as needed. Serve topped with fresh basil and extra parmesan.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Really Taste the Vodka?
No. The alcohol cooks off as the sauce simmers, and what’s left is a brighter, rounder tomato flavor and a little acidity that balances the cream. It doesn’t taste boozy.
Can I Make Penne Alla Vodka without Vodka?
Yes. Deglaze with a splash of pasta water or a little chicken broth instead. You lose a bit of that signature complexity, but the sauce is still creamy and delicious.
Why Is My Sauce Grainy or Split?
Usually the heat was too high when the parmesan went in. Keep it on low and stir the cheese in gently, and add a splash of pasta water if it tightens up too much.
Can I Use Half-And-Half Instead of Heavy Cream?
You can, though the sauce will be thinner and less rich, and it’s more likely to curdle if it boils hard. Keep the heat low and don’t let it come to a rolling boil.
Can I Add Protein, and What Goes Well with It?
Yes, cooked chicken, Italian sausage, or shrimp all work stirred in at the end. A green salad and garlic bread round it out into a full meal.
Cooking Tips
- Grate the parmesan fresh off a block. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch that keeps it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
- Salt the pasta water well. It seasons the noodles from the inside, and that starchy water is also what loosens the sauce at the end.
- Cook the tomato paste longer than feels natural. That darkening step is the difference between a flat sauce and one with real roasted-tomato depth.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze: This one’s best fresh. The cream sauce can separate and turn grainy once thawed, so freezing isn’t recommended.
To reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of cream or pasta water to bring the sauce back together, stirring often. A hard reheat will break it.
How to Serve Penne Alla Vodka
Penne alla Vodka is rich on its own, so it just needs something fresh alongside: a crisp green salad with a lemony dressing and warm garlic bread for mopping up the sauce. If you want to add protein, a few seared shrimp or sliced Italian sausage stir right in. This is one of the recipes in our Pasta Recipes collection, with more cozy pasta dinners on the way.
Loved This Recipe?
Penne alla Vodka turns a jar of tomato paste and a splash of vodka into a silky, restaurant-worthy pasta in about 30 minutes.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
More like this: Rich, saucy, and no meat needed. Three more pasta nights worth putting on the list. Try One-Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta, Creamy Parmesan Spinach Mushroom Pasta, or One-Pot Creamy Garlic Pasta.
Penne Alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1/3 cup vodka
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving
- 1 tsp salt
- fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil the penne in well-salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Soften the onion: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Caramelize the tomato paste: Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, until it darkens to a deep brick red and smells sweet and roasted.
- Add the vodka: Pour in the vodka and stir, scraping up anything stuck to the pan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to cook off the alcohol; the sharp smell will mellow as it goes.
- Stir in the cream: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and salt until the sauce turns an even blush pink. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
- Melt in the parmesan: Stir in the parmesan until smooth. If the sauce looks tight, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water.
- Toss and serve: Add the drained penne and toss until every piece is coated, adding more pasta water a splash at a time as needed. Serve topped with fresh basil and extra parmesan.
